Language is how humans think together. A recent article from Babbel, published in the Business Insider, notes that "knowing more than one language could give you an edge in your career" and highlights six top business leaders who are bilingual. "Researchers have uncovered that people who speak more than one language are better at something called inhibitory control, which involves being able to filter out irrelevant stimuli and to develop more measured responses to events.In addition to an increased attention span, learning a new language can benefit your work in other ways, including being able to connect with a greater number of people, and gaining a new perspective on the world." Learning language begins with learning about how languages work, and getting motivated to put that learning into purposeful action. For many people, who started wanting to learn a language but then quit, learning a language became nothing more than a tedious memorization process. The book, LANGUAGE SOUP: A TASTE OF HOW DIVERSE PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD COMMUNICATE, was written and just recently expanded and revised with the purpose of engaging young people and families in seeing that languages are intriguing and diverse communication systems, and that and language information (like unique writing systems, odd spelling rules, unusual vocabulary, and decoding sentence structure) can be fun to learn about. When you find something fun, you get engaged and want to learn and do more with that new learning. This world of ours increasingly needs people who have inhibitory control, and who want to communicate with and understand, nuances of conversation with other friends, acquaintances, and colleagues, around the world. Within the easy-to-read chapters of this book, young people and their families will find all sorts of intriguing nuggets and will find that at least one of the chapters (English, Latin, Greek, Spanish, French, Arabic, Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Yoruba, Finnish, Navajo, Arapaho, constructed languages, and lots of other general language information) will snag their attention. When you have attention, you have a starting point for building that bridge of shared thinking and conversation.Ref: http://www.businessinsider.com/6-top-business-leaders-that-speak-more-than-one-language-2017-8/#mark-zuckerberg-co-founder-and-ceo-of-facebook-1

“Studies have clearly shown us that being a grandparent and having a grandparent affords us many life benefits. For example, children who have ongoing and consistent contact with a grandparent experience less emotional and behavioral problems.” (Huffington Post 9/10/2013, blog “Celebrating Grandparents and the Value of Generational Love, L. S. Rust.)

In “Why Grandparents Matter More than Ever,” a blog by Jeff Anderson in Senior Living News (Oct 23, 2013) , agrees. A recent study by Boston College identified “an emotionally close relationship between grandparent and grandchildren is associated with fewer symptoms of depression for both generations.” Also, “More than half of grandparents see their grandchildren in person at least once a week, while 92% of grandparents report having changed a grandchild’s diaper. . . Today there are about 80 million American grandparents, which is more than a third of the adult population.” Intergenerational living is on the rise. Let’s support and celebrate the bonds between grandpas and grandsons.

Picture books can be a good way to begin the conversation. In the new BOP AND GROP picture book series, two grandpas are actively involved with adventures and learning with their two young grandsons, building a treehouse, cooking, shopping, even building a time travel machine and visiting dinosaurs. Share the book to extend some joy!

She was late.Again.He missed a planned event. Again. She didn’t call you back. Again.“Sorry!”Sorry is not the end of the story for you or the other. How trustworthy are you with your friends, family, and colleagues?Answer yes or no if others would say about you that you1.DO what you say you will do2.ARE on time3.HOLD a mental attitude of gratitude and attentionBeing habitually late or missing something planned says to the other, “My time is more important than your time.”Habitually making excuses says to the other, “I can’t control my life. I’m just a victim to events.”Habitually being distracted gives the message, “I’m not trustworthy in paying attention to this friendship.”For next steps, check out the Three-Part Apology and Five Step Conflict Management in the ebook A TEEN’S GUIDE TO THE CONVERSATION GAME.It’s for everyone to practice.

Is Character Education becoming Gri-Grow-Sess? A recent article on KUNC http://www.kunc.org/post/non-academic-skills-are-key-success-what-should-we-call-them suggested that all nonacademic learning needed another encompassing name and suggested relatively meaningless acronyms like Gri-Grow-Sess or N-COG might be options in the future. Referencing part of this article: There's a lot of different terms floating around but also a lack of agreement on what really is most important to students.As Noah Webster, the great American lexicographer and educator, put it back in 1788, "The virtues of men are of more consequence to society than their abilities; and for this reason, the heart should be cultivated with more assiduity than the head." Character education has a long history in the U.S., with a major vogue in the 1930s and a revival in the 1980s and 1990s. Beginning a few years ago, the KIPP charter schools in New York City started to emphasize a curriculum of seven "character strengths": grit, zest, optimism, self-control, gratitude, social intelligence and curiosity. "We're not religious, we're not talking about ethics, we're not going to give any kind of doctrine about what is right from wrong," says Leyla Bravo-Willey of KIPP Infinity in Harlem. "But there are some fundamental things that make people really great citizens, which usually include being kind." West argues that the use of "character" is inappropriate in research and policymaking because of its moral and religious connotations.” West notes that there is a tension with the notion of character, which often “implies something being good in and of itself—which often includes some notion of self-sacrifice.” The word character comes from the Greek kharakter, meaning an "engraved mark" which is extended by metaphor to mean a defining quality or sum of qualities of a person. (Ref. http:etymonline.com). Character seems like a good word to define a person's expression of honesty, kindness, respect, responsibility, perseverance, integrity--which are all critical bits of trustworthiness in life. These qualities are necessary in our communities, relationships, and world. Some notion of sacrifice of self-interest, selfishness, and self-focus does build room to be conscious and concerned and act for others. Without such things defined and taught and appreciated through shared stories for example, we are leaving a critical gap.

Other skills like being able to converse, write a letter, organize time, commit to growth, being creative, using media well, are distinct from deep defining character. Complicated acronyms might obscure rather than clarify. The terms character and skills make sense for attention and driving improvement.

Warren Bennis and Patricia Ward Biederman in their book, Organizing Genius, the Secrets of Creative Collaboration, state that it's not that we no longer need leaders, but "Instead, we have to recognize a new paradigm: not great leaders alone, but great leaders who exist in a fertile relationship with a Great Group. In these creative alliances, the leader and the team are able to achieve something together that neither could achieve alone." Look around at examples of this in your sphere of influence and reflect on the ways you contribute to the vision and help to cultivate the Great Group under that vision. This activity is especially important in schools where courage and energetic response will make a difference for kids today and in the future.

I was asked recently how managers should determine what training people need, when to give it to them, and how best to monitor the outcomes. Perhaps that's the wrong question. Daniel Pink notes that many managers believe either that people need carrots and sticks (external rewards and punishments) or that they need pushing and careful "management" because people can be lazy if not pushed. In contrast, real drive and motivation (according to Pink and to many other leaders I've spoken with over the years) really comes from three things: 1. autonomy to some level over time, technique, team, and tools; 2. mastery (the ability and support to get better), and 3. a clear sense of purpose that is higher than self.

Think of the last time you did something you really loved. You may have been coaching kids after school, rebuilding a vintage automobile, planning an entrepreneurial startup, practicing snowboarding, researching chemical reactions. Did you need external rewards and punishments or careful outside management to get things done well and with motivation, perseverance and excitement? Didn't you monitor yourself and determine what you needed to get better as you went through the activities? And didn't you get better, putting in solid focused time? Organizations which build A, M and P into their cultures will find better outcomes, more commitment, less costly turnover, and overall, just more fun! The book DRIVE has more detail about how some companies implemented levels of autonomy, mastery and purpose to good effect and increased profit. What do you think about A,M,P as critical components to successful organizations?

Often referred to as “living fossils,”dragonflies are one of the oldest known groups of insects. As such, it is awe-inspiring to think of all that the dragonfly ancestors as well as other long lived insects have encountered. Actions that we view as distinctly human, such as cooperation, nurturing of family units, slavery, and even war – have all been done by insects before us. Insects are invariably complex and their histories are rich.Today, look more closely at the natural world around you. What do you notice? What can you see?

You/your time/your gift/your ideas you shared/ are less valued by me than you hoped.

I simply expect you’ll give me time/thought/support/kindness.

I’m busier than you are.

You may ponder gratitude for someone/someone's actions/ideas/support/gift but you have to play it out for it to reach the other. Simple phrases like “Thank you so much for ….OrI appreciate/value …

your time and support.

the space you made for me today.

how you just made the morning special.

the ideas you shared that will help.

your helping me out with babysitting today.

It meant a lot because·I know you took extra time from your day to shop for something special.·What you said helped me to see the situation in another way.

I value your experience and sharing.

I discovered a new place to enjoy in the city.

The kids love to spend time with you.

take just a couple of minutes, but play on through the person’s day.Gratitude journals for ourselves are really good.Gratitude that plays out more widely, makes a choice to give kindness to one other person.Thanks and appreciation can be expressed in a moment of talking face to face, in a text, or even better sometimes in a written note.Habits of gratitude can change a little bit of the world.

Our newly published children's book on termites is published on Itunes and Amazon! Filled with pages of local children's art work, we are excited to hear your thoughts! Have your views on termites changed? What is something new you learned about termites that you didn't know before? We'd love to hear from you! Read more about endocasting, or taking a mold of the termite nest underground, here: http://www.esf.edu/efb/turner/termitePages/termiteEndocasting.html